Repeating rifle having trigger mechanism on finger lever



W. B. MOR RIS Oct. 9, 1956 REPEATING RIFLE. HAVING TRIGGER MECHANISM ON FINGER LEVER Filed DEC. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM. B.MORRIS INVENTOR ATTORNEY W. B. MORRIS Oct. 9, 1956 REPEATING RIFLE HAVING TRIGGER MECHANISM ON FINGER LEVER Filed D66. 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM. B. MORRIS INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY 9% 1956 w. B. MORRIS 2,765,561

REPEATING RIFLE HAVING TRIGGER MECHANISM 0N FINGER LEVER Filed Dec. 17,-1951 a Sheets-Sheet 3 WM. B. MORRIS INVENTOR REPEATING RIFLE HAVING TRIGGER MECHANISM N FINGER LEVER William B. Morris, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application December 17, 1951, Serial No. 261,984

3 Claims. (Cl. 42-69) This invention relates to fire arms and has reference to rifles having lever operated actions of the type referred to in my copending application, Serial Number 161,930, filed May 15, 1950, now Patent No. 2,638,694, issued May 19, 1953.

An object of the invention is to provide a firing mechanism mounted on the finger lever of a lever operated repeating rifie for reducing the manufacturing cost of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smoother cocking operation in a ride of the described class.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a firing mechanism mounted on the finger lever of a ride, a retractable trigger which moves into the trigger guard to prevent contacting the trigger except when the'finger lever is completely closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism which will not contact the sear until the finger lever is completely closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a higher leverage ratio for extracting firing cases than heretofore used in rifles of the described class.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken elevation and sectional view of a rifle action embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a broken elevation and sectional view similar to Figure 1 and showing the finger lever in a partially opened position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2, but showing the finger lever in its fully extended position.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a broken perspective view of the receiver.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the breech locking arm.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the breech block illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, together with the cartridge case guide and ejector.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the carrier together with a broken perspective of the barrel breech and showing the engagement of the extractor claw with the rim of a cartridge.

Figure 9 is a broken elevation and sectional view, similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of a breech locking arm embodied therein.

Figure 10 is a broken sectional view similar to Figure 1, and showing a locking bolt applied behind a breech bolt head, and which arrangement is employed instead of the breech block in the foregoing forms of the invention.

Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the breech block of the first referred to forms of the invention and showing the firing pin mounted therein.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 8 includes a barrel 15, a frame 16, stock 17 and receiver 18 mounted on the frame. The barrel 15 is threadedly engaged in the forward end of the receiver 18 and the frame 16 is detachably secured to the forward end of ice the receiver 18 by means of a screw 19 which extends upwardly from the bottom of the frame. The rear of the receiver 18 is secured to the frame 16 by means of a downwardly directed screw Ztl. The breech block 21 is vertically movable within guides 2-2 and 23 in the forward end of the frame 16 for engaging the head 24 of the cartridge 2 5. The extractor 26, which is integral with the forward end of the carrier 27, includes a claw 28 on its forward end which is slidably and snugly received within a recessed cavity 29 in the rearward end of the cartridge chamber 30. Opposite sides of the receiver 18 are longitudinally grooved, as at 31, to slidably receive longitudinal tongues 32 on opposite sides of the carrier 27. The depending forward end of the extractor Z6 is a pickup 33, hereinafter referred to, for chambering the cartridge 25.

The upper level or forward end of the finger lever 35 is divided to form separate parallel finger lever arms 36 which are pivotally secured in recesses 3'7 in opposite sides of the carrier 27 by means of a transverse pin 33. The finger lever 35 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends with the forward end of a cocking arm 39 by means of a pin 49 positioned through the lever arms 36, and the lower end of the cocking arm is pivotally engaged with the frame 16 by means of a pin 41 which passes through the latter and through a slot 42 in the cocking arm. A spring 43 and slidable bearing 34 in the cocking arm 39 accommodate the toggle action which occurs when the finger lever 35 is opened to such an extent that the pivot pin 4% is on the opposite side of imaginary line between the other pivot pins 38 and ii.

Cam slots 4-5 are provided in the finger lever arms 36 and are rearwardly and downwardly formed so as to accommodate and guide the outer ends of a transverse pin 46 on the rearward end of a breech locking arm t? which is pivotally secured at its forward end to the frame 16 by means of another transverse pin 48. As will become apparent, the size of the forward end of the cams 45 is such that a delayed action takes place when initially opening the finger lever 35, and whereby the extractor (to be described) is retracted slightly to break the cortridge 25 from the cartridge chamber 3b so as to permit free and easy downward movement of the breech block 21.. An intermediate transverse pin 49 is slidebly received in a transverse slot :5 in the lower forward side of the breech block 21. In the illustrated form of the invention; there is a conical shaped portion 51 in. the breech locking arm 47 for accommodating the frame holding screw it? which passes therethrough.

The firing pin 52 is slidably mounted in a bore 53 in the breech block 23, and which bore is counter bored in its rearward end, as at 54, for accommodating a' compression spring 55' which bears against the firing pin head 56. A cartridge guide 57 is mounted in a horizontal recess 53 in the rearward upper surface of the breech block 21 and which guide includes an angularly disposed ejector 59 for throwing the empty cases laterally and outwardly through a case ejector opening 60 in one side of the receiver 13. The firing pin 52, normally urged rearwardly by the spring 55, is held in place and limited in its movement by means of a slot 61 and a pin 62 therethrough and which pin is received in opposite sides of the breech block 21. The arrangement described permits the firing pin 52 to be'rnoved forwardly through the breech block 21 and against the end of the cartridge 25 for firing the same. There is a slotted opening 63 in the bottom of the frame 16 to accommodate the finger lever 3'55 and its lever arms 36.

The illustrated form of the trigger construction is best shown in Figures 1 and 2, and wherein the trigger 64 is mounted in generally longitudinal slots 65 in opposite sides of the finger lever arms 36 by means of a transverse pin 66; The finger guard 67 is recessed in its rearward end, as at 68, to receive the trigger 64 when the latter is moved rearwardly, in the manner to be described. A pin 69 through the lever arms 36 pivotally mounts a sear 70 which has a rearwardly directed projection 71 arranged to be contacted by a shoulder or trigger sear 72 integral with the trigger 64. The upper rearward end of the trigger 64 is provided with another projection 73 for contacting a safety latch 74 transversely and slidably mounted in the cocking arm 39. The upper end of the latch 74 is in contact with a cam type pivoted safety 75 which has its knurled grip 76 extending rearwardly through the receiver 18. When the safety is on, the latch 74 is received within a notch 77 in the safety 75, and which latch is at all times urged upwardly by means of a leaf spring 78 mounted on the rear edge of the cocking arm 39.

An additional safety feature has to do with the referred to retraction of the trigger 64 into the trigger guard recess 68. The latter is carried out by means of a bolt 79 mounted on the trigger supporting pin 66, and which bolt includes a forwardly directed rod like portion 80 which is received in a drilled opening 81 in the upper forward end of the trigger guard 67. When the trigger 64 is retracted the trigger sear 72 cannot contact the sear projection 71. When the action is in its closed position, the end of the last described bolt 79 bears against the cocking arm 39. A light spring 82 mounted on the rod like portion 30 normally urges the trigger 64 and bolt 79 rearwardly, but which action takes place only when the finger lever 35 is at least partially opened.

An integral projection 83 above the forward end of the trigger guard 67 slidably supports a forwardly directed hammer actuating rod 84 which makes pivotal contact with the rifle hammer 85 by means of a ball socket joint 86 therebetween. The hammer 85 is pivotally mounted on the finger lever 35 between the lever arms 36 by means of a pin 87 passing therethrough. The rearward end of the actuating rod 84 loosely fits in a recess 88 in the described projection 83 above the trigger guard 67. The hammer or main spring 89 is mounted around the actuating rod 84 and bears against the last referred to projection 83 and a shoulder 90 on the rod 84 near the forward end of the latter.

A cocking cam 91 is formed in the upper forward end of the cocking arm 39 and is arranged to engage the upper rearward surface of a hammer latch 92 which is in the form of a hook integral with the hammer 85 and arranged to ultimately engage a corresponding hook 93 on the upper forward end of the sear 70. A light spring 94 between the trigger guard projection and the sear hook 93 normally urges the latter away from the former.

As shown by the progressive steps in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the cocking cam 91 is shaped to contact the hammer latch 92 almost immediately upon moving the finger lever 35, and whereby the firing pin is moved rearwardly as shown in Figure 11, in order that the firing pin 52 will retract within the breech block 21 and allow the breech block 21 to be moved downwardly. The latter action is carried out by means of the action of the rearward pin 46 and the engagement thereof by the lever arm earns 45, as previously described. A compression spring 95 around the forward frame screw 19 and be tween the breech locking arm 47 and the compression 18 assists in the last referred to action which is carried out by means of the arcuate shape of the cams 45 in the lever arms 36.

Since the sear 70 and the hammer latch 92 are relatively far apart when the finger lever 35 is closed, it follows that considerable movement of the finger lever is required before the hammer latch can engage the hook 93 on the sear. Whenever the finger lever 35 is opened the trigger 64 is moved into the trigger guard recess 68 and out of contact with the sear 85. Upon closing the finger lever, the contact of the bolt 79 with the cocking arm 39 again moves the trigger 64 forwardly. After the finger lever arm 35 is closed, and the safety latch 74 is released by means of manipulating the safety 75, the rifle is cocked and ready to fire. By pulling the trigger 64, the shoulder 72 on the latter contacts the projection 71 on the sear 70, thus releasing the sear hook 93 from the hammer latch 92, and causes the hammer to strike the firing pin head 56.

A magazine 96 may be provided in the frame 16, and which construction is shown in Figure 4. The cartridges 7.5 are received in the usual manner between one side of the frame 16 and a partition 97 secured thereto and forming a part thereof. A spring 98 in the lower part of the magazine 96 moves the cartridges 25 upwardly. During the cocking operation, and as the breech lock 21 moves downwardly, the fired case of the cartridge 25 is drawn rearwardly by the extractor 26 along the upper surface of the cartridge guide 57. When the head of the case 25 contacts the angularly disposed ejector 59, the forward end of the case is moved outwardly through the opening 60, and by reason of the relatively fast action involved, the empty case is ejected therethrough. A horizontal plate 99 may be provided along the lower edge of the opening 60 for guiding the ejected cases. The cartridges 25 in the magazine 96 are arranged whereby the nose 100 of the uppermost cartridge 25 will contact one or the other of the abutments of the receiver 18 as the action of the pickup 33 moves the uppermost cartridge into place. The forward surfaces of the abutments 101 are aligned with the rear guides 22 in the forward end of the frame 16 for supporting the breech block 21 when the latter is in its raised position.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 9 is substantially the same as previously described, and in which like parts have the same reference numerals. The breech locking arm 102 differs from the previously described breech locking arm 47 in that it is longer and the rearward end of which has a pin 103 arranged for engaging an arcuate cam 104 in the side of the upper end of a cocking arm 105 which is otherwise similar to the previously described cocking arm 39.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 10 is also the same as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,, but differs therefrom in that a locking bolt 106 is employed instead of the breech block 21. The firing pin 107 is mounted in a rearwardly directed projection 108 integral with a breech block 109 having a tongued carrier 110 for slidable movement in the receiver 18. The locking bolt 106 is mounted for vertical movement between the previously described forwardly located projections 22 and 23 in the frame 16 and abutments 111 in the receiver 18. The bolt 106 is provided with a horizontal slot 112 for receiving the intermediate breech locking arm pin 49. The upper forward surface of the locking bolt 106 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined, as at 113, for providing a wedging action with the rearward and correspondingly shaped surface 114 of the locking bolt 106.

The form of the invention shown is not limited to the construction herein shown and described but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fire arm including a receiver and a carrier mounted for longitudinal movement therein, a finger lever pivotally connected at one end thereof with said carrier and having the remaining end thereof extending outwardly beneath said fire arm, a cocking arm pivotally mounted at one end within said fire arm and having the remaining end thereof pivotally connected with said lever, a trigger mounted on said lever, a sear mounted on said lever arranged for co-action with said trigger, a spring loaded hammer also mounted on said lever and positioned to be moved in to contact with said sear, said hammer and spring being located within the receiver when the action is closed, and means detachably connecting said hammer with said sear.

2. In combination with a firearm as defined in claim 1,

the construction wherein said finger lever includes a trig ger guard having a recess in the rearward portion thereof, means pivotally and slidably mounting said trigger whereby the latter may be received within said recess, spring means normally urging said trigger in a rearward direction, and a slidable bolt carried by said trigger and having extending cam means thereon arranged for moving said trigger forwardly when the cam means thereof contact a portion of the firearm other than the finger lever.

3. In a firearm including a receiver, a finger lever pivotally mounted in the forward end of said receiver and extending downwardly and rearwardly beneath said receiver, a cocking arm pivotally mounted near one end thereof in said receiver and having a pivotal connection near the remaining end thereof with said finger lever, a cocking cam integral with said cocking arm, a hammer pivotally mounted on said finger lever and positioned for coaction with said cocking cam, said hammer including an integral projecting hook, a trigger pivotally mounted on said finger lever, a sear also pivotally mounted on said finger lever and positioned for coaction with said trigger, a hook on said sear positioned to engage said hook on said hammer, a spring carrier by said finger lever and bearing against said sear urging the latter against said trigger, and a main spring carried by said finger lever and bearing against said hammer normally urging the latter in a forward direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

